Ultimate Guide to the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival with Kids

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You’ve probably seen the pictures of the night sky lit up with paper lanterns, and thought I would love to see that one day. You can, and you can bring your kids of any age.  This family friendly festival is an amazing sight to see and you and your kids will not forget it.  Read on for our Ultimate Guide to the Lantern Festival with Kids for some great tips and tricks we wish we knew before going for the first time.

• What is the Festival of Light?
  • Yee Peng
  • Loy Krathong
• How to Prepare for Your Trip
• What to Bring to the Festival
• Festival Events
  • Opening Ceremony
  • Monk Ceremony
  • Parades
• When and Where to Release your Lantern
• When and Where to Release your Krathong
• Where to Stay
• Tips for Lighting Your Lantern
• Is the Festival Safe for Children?

What is the Festival of Light?

Yee Peng

The Yee Peng Festival is celebrated in Chiang Mai every year but not on the same dates each year. Yee Peng roughly translates to ‘second moon’, as the festival is held over the full moon of the second month in the Lanna Lunar Calendar. The festival lasts three days over the course of the full moon, which is usually in November.  During this festival, paper lanterns are released into the sky to say goodbye to any misfortunes and negative energy from the previous year. It is believed that if you make a wish when you release your lantern, it will come true in the new year provided you do good deeds.

Loy Krathong

During this time, another festival is held simultaneously. The Loy Krathong Festival is similar to Yee Peng in it’s meaning and significance.  Loy Krathong, however, is celebrated all over Thailand and some surrounding countries, whereas Yee Peng is only celebrated in Northern Thailand. This festival takes place at the same time, as it is held every year during the full moon of the twelfth month based on the Lunar Calendar, which corresponds to the second month of the Lanna Lunar calendar. It is held during this time as that is the end of the rainy season when the rivers are flowing at their fullest.

Loy Krathong roughly translates to ‘Floating Basket’. During this festival small boats made from organic material filled with candles are released into the canals at night. This festival is in thanks for a successful rainy season which would result in a great rice harvest. When you release your krathong into the water, you are letting go of all your negative thoughts from the year and starting fresh. The traditional krathongs that are released into the water are made from banana leaves and topped with lily flowers. The tea light candles are placed in the middle and some of them also contain sparklers or incense.

These two festivals combined make up the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival.

How to Prepare for Your Trip

The dates of the festival are known well in advance, but the actual events during the festival are only released a few weeks beforehand. Aside from booking your flights to Chiang Mai, and your accommodations, there isn’t much you need to do to plan for the lantern festival itself, other than show up.  

Be prepared to book your trip well in advance, as hotels can book up quickly during the festival weekend.  You don’t want to have your flights booked, and find out you have nowhere to stay in the city.

You will not need a car during your time at the lantern festival.  Walking is your best bet to get anywhere, especially during the nights of the festival itself.  The streets around the Nawarat Bridge are closed to cars during the evening, and trying to drive anywhere at that time is fruitless.  If you plan any day trips on festival days, stick with a taxi.

When packing for your trip, make sure you’re prepared for the weather.  In November, the average temperature during the day is highs of 86°F (30°C) and lows of 64°F (18°C) at night.  You will want to dress in light, loose layers during the day to help stay cool.  In the evening when the sun goes down, pack a lightweight long sleeved shirt in your day bag, and throw it on if you start to get chilly.  With the amount of walking around town you will be doing during the festival, it is unlikely you would even need an extra layer.

If you are planning to visit any temples while you are in town, you will need to have your legs and shoulders covered to enter.  Either wear a nice pair of light linen pants during the day, or bring something to cover up with.  A sarong or long skirt works great to slip on and off over a pair of shorts, or you could invest in a nice pair of convertible pants, the ones where you can zip the legs on and off.  The temples will not let you enter if you are not covered.  The only exception is for babies and very young children.

There will be a lot of walking, so make sure everyone has good walking shoes.  If you are traveling with young kids, consider the amount of walking you will be doing. If possible, it is recommended a carrier of some kind be used for children small enough.  The Babybjorn One Mesh Carrier works great for humid climates, and is very comfortable for babies up to 33lbs (15 kgs).

It can be hard to navigate a stroller at the lantern festival with kids as the crowds of people can be thick.  The sidewalks are paved, but often with brick or cobblestone, so can be quite bumpy for a small child in a stroller.  The sidewalks are also very narrow in lots of places, which makes passing other people difficult.  If you are deciding on bringing a stroller, bring something sturdy, with good wheels, and not a simple umbrella stroller.

What to Bring to the Festival

Don’t forget to purchase a lighter from one of the many convenience stores in Chiang Mai.  If there is a larger group of you, perhaps purchase a couple.  Lanterns and Krathongs can be bought during the festival, no need to purchase these beforehand.

Pack a day bag with plenty of water for everyone.  With the humid weather, and lots of walking, you will want to stay hydrated.  Bring some snacks for smaller children.  Bring cash with you, as the lantern and krathong vendors will only accept cash.  The only other thing you will need is a camera!

Festival Events

The flow of events is usually quite similar each year.  There is an opening ceremony.  The locals hold contests for school kids which can be viewed by all.  There is often a beauty pageant.  The lanterns are released on two nights, and krathongs on one night.  There can be parades on multiple nights, but the most extravagant one is on the final night.

The event schedule isn’t released until just a couple of weeks for the lantern festival, so making a distinct plan ahead of time can be hard.  It’s best to plan your own timeline when you arrive in Chiang Mai.

Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony is often held at the Three Kings Monument which is in the middle of Chiang Mai’s old town, or the Phae Gate. The ceremony is held the night prior to the full moon. You can expect very large crowds outside the Monument, and you will want to get there very early if you want any hope of getting close to the front.

You can get away with skipping the opening ceremony of the lantern festival with kids. It is a very busy event, and having to sit and wait is often hard for kids of any age.  Your time would be better spent just enjoying the crowds and the beautiful decorations set up around the city.  There are no lanterns released at the opening ceremony.  

The opening ceremony usually consists of speeches from politicians, some dance routines from traditional dancers, live music, and some prayers from local Monks who may light lanterns that are strung up in trees around the monument.  

Monk Ceremony

The Buddhist Temple, Wat Phantao, is located near the centre of the old town.  On each night of the festival, the Monks perform a ceremony there.  The temple garden is beautifully decorated with colourful tree lanterns, and the pond is aglow with candles.  The first night of this ceremony is the night after the opening ceremony.  Don’t visit on this night if you’re not prepared for a large crowd, as hours before the ceremony starts, there are already rows of people waiting to watch.  Instead wait until the following night.  The ceremony usually starts at 8pm.

Parades

There is always a parade or two that take place over the festival dates.  The parade consists of beautifully decorated floats and dancers.  The parade often starts at the Phae Gate, and continues towards the Nawarat Bridge.  The crowds around the Phae Gate can be very thick, so if you are traveling with small children, it’s best to continue on further down the route, in order to avoid the large groups.

When and Where to Release your Lantern

The following night after the opening ceremony is the night of the full moon, and the night that the paper lanterns are released into the sky. You don’t need to prepare in any way for the release. The lanterns can be purchased the night of, on almost every street corner. They are inexpensive, only costing around 50-100 baht (฿) each, which is around $1.50-3.20 USD.  There are multiple sizes you can purchase.  Be sure to stop into a local convenience store and pick up a lighter.

The festivities don’t start until it gets dark, so you have nothing but time to kill during the day. Rest up for the evening though, as you will want you and the kids to be awake and lively to light and send up your lanterns.

No lanterns can be released in the city before 7pm.  This is the law in Chiang Mai.  Lanterns can not be released everywhere in the city either.  It is best to pay attention to the locals, and join in on large groups releasing lanterns together to avoid the mistake of releasing it somewhere you are not supposed to.

The best place to start is the Nawarat Bridge.  This is also a great viewing platform.  You are not actually allowed to release your lantern on the bridge itself, but can do it on either the east or west ends of the bridge.  The crowds here can be large, but the people are all very friendly, and try to keep a safe distance from others lighting their lanterns.  The streets in this area are closed to cars, so traffic is not a concern while walking through the streets.

Once you’ve released your own lanterns, the bridge is a beautiful spot to stand and watch the sky as more and more lanterns fill the darkness.  On the second night, once the krathongs are released into the river, the bridge view is made that much more beautiful by the lanterns floating along under the bridge.

There are some private event options that require tickets to be purchased.  The most popular of these events in held near the Mae Jo University just outside the city of Chiang Mai.  Tickets for these events should be purchased ahead of time online.  Many families are tempted into buying tickets for these events, to avoid the large crowds of the city, or to bypass the uncertainty of the events themselves.  These tickets can be quite expensive, averaging $100 USD per person.  

Don’t bother purchasing these tickets, as families have nothing to fear in the city centre.  There are so many helpful locals and vendors, if you have questions, feel free to ask.  You will find many areas to just sit and enjoy the view as well.  But don’t be afraid of joining in.

When and Where to Release your Krathong

On the third and final night of the festival is when you can release your krathongs into the Ping River.  You can find tables set up with merchants selling handmade krathongs.  They are typically made from organic material such as banana leaves, banana tree trunks, flowers or even bread.  They are topped with a tea light candle or two and a few sparklers.

Once the sun goes down, the celebration begins again.  There are several places you can release your krathong into the water.  You can walk down to the river’s edge yourself to place your own krathong into the water, or some spots have someone standing on a dock, and you pass your Krathong to them to place in the river for you. 

On this night, sky lanterns are also released into the air, at the same time the krathongs are sent down river.  You will have a better chance of finding a great spot to walk to the river’s edge with your kids, when more people have dispersed, so consider spending the first hour enjoying the sky lanterns once again, or send up a few more of your own.  They can still be purchased in the street alongside krathong vendors.  Then once the crowds along the river have died down, it’s your turn.

If you’re up for a walk, take a stroll towards the Chansom Memorial Bridge.  This pedestrian only bridge is located north from the Nawarat Bridge, less than a mile walk.  You will find many street food vendors along the way.  Cross over the footbridge, but make sure to stop mid span to gawk at the lanterns in the sky and the candles in the river.  Continue across the river and then walk south on the opposite side back to the Narawat Bridge.

This side of the river has a more locals vibe to it.  The houses are beautifully decorated with paper lanterns.  Families are seen sitting on the waters edge enjoying the view.  More food vendors can be found here.  If you are looking for a quieter spot to just sit and watch for a time, this is the place to do it.  When you’re ready to head back, cross back over the Nawarat Bridge, and you will be right back where you started.

Where to Stay

When attending the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival with kids, you will need to book your accommodations early during the festival dates.  Think of it as the Mardi Gras of Thailand.  Expect prices to be higher than normal as well.

There are so many hotels in the area to choose from, it can be an overwhelming decision.  When making your decision, take into account how many rooms or beds you need and how long you will be staying in town.  

The best areas to stay in during the Lantern Festival will be in Old Town itself.  The Old Town is the portion of Chiang Mai within the moat. From the very middle of Old Town, it is about a 1.18 mile (1.9 km) walk to the Nawarat Bridge.  Staying anywhere from the middle of Old Town to the east will be well within easy walking distance of any activities during the festival.  

Especially when at the Lantern Festival with kids, you don’t want to have to walk too far to get back to your bed once you’re done sending off your lanterns.  You always have the option of taking a taxi back to your room, but if you are paying to come and go a few times per day, the cost adds up quickly.  On the nights of the festival, you will not be able to find a taxi near the Nawarat Bridge, as the crowds are much too thick for cars on the streets.

If you stay near Rachadamnoen Road, which runs east to west down the middle of Old Town, you have an easy straight walk to the Nawarat Bridge.  This makes it easy for finding your way to and from your hotel. One of the best night markets takes place along this road as well, but only certain days of the week.

Families traveling with multiple children, or older kids that will need their own bed or bedroom, may opt to rent an apartment rather than a hotel room.   Renting a whole apartment or guest suite can be much more accommodating to a family than a single hotel room.  Most hotels in Thailand offer free breakfast with each night booked, but an apartment rental gives you access to a full kitchen, if preparing your own food is preferred.

How long do you plan to stay in Chiang Mai?  If you are looking to stay for just 3-4 days over the festival dates, you don’t need to worry too much about finding a hotel with amenities.  You will likely have too much to do in town, to spend any time in a hotel pool.  Save some money, and get a basic room for your time during the festival.

If you don’t mind moving around a little, a great plan is to split your time in Chiang Mai in half with a trip to Pai in the middle.  Book 3 nights over the festival dates.  Check out of your hotel the day after the festival ends and hop on a bus to Pai, which is about a 3-4 hour drive north of Chiang Mai.  This delightful little backpackers town has plenty to offer families.  Spend a few nights in Pai, then head back to Chiang Mai for a few more nights.  Traveling through Chiang Mai is the only way to get to Pai, so time is not wasted traveling from one to the other, as you will have to return from Pai to Chiang Mai once again.

You can get some great deals reserving a hotel in the days after the Lantern Festival, rather than reserving a whole week over the festival dates.

Tips for Lighting Your Lantern

• You are given your lantern flat, so it’s easier to carry to your launch destination.  Be sure to unfold it carefully, as the paper is very thin and can tear easily.

• No need to buy your lanterns in advance, there will be lots of vendors selling them on the night of.

• Don’t forget to bring a lighter.  It’s best to purchase one during the day from any of the convenience stores in Chiang Mai.

• The larger lanterns are easier to launch as a group of people, and smaller ones are easier solo.

• Be sure to hold onto your lantern long enough for proper lift off, otherwise your lantern will end up floating into someone in the crowd, instead of into the air.  For larger lanterns, this could mean you hold onto them for 2 or more minutes.

• You should feel a strong pull from your lantern before it is ready to be released.

• Make a wish and have fun!

Is the Festival Safe for Children?

Yes!  You will find many local Thai families in the streets with their own children during the Festival of Light.  This is a very family friendly event, and can be an exciting spectacle for kids to see, something they will not forget.

As with any large crowd, there are certain hazards to beware of.  Be sure to keep a close eye so that your kids don’t wander away from you and get lost.  Small children should be confined to a stroller or carrier for most of the time.  There will be so much for them to look at, they will be unlikely to get bored.  You can often find some vendors selling light up toys for kids along the walk to the river.

With small kids, try and steer clear of thick crowds with many people very close together.  It’s easy for someone to accidentally step on a child, or elbow them in the head.  When the lanterns are being released, most people are a good distance apart, as they need room to light their own lanterns.  Most people are very respectful.

Watch out for stray lanterns.  These are the ones that someone let go of prematurely.  They can float down on top of the crowd while you are trying to light your own lantern.

For a day by day account, check out our Thailand Chiang Mai Lantern Festival story, here.

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